Women’s volleyball team sweeps two matches at “Buc Blast”

BELOIT, Wis. – The Olivet College volleyball team swept two matches this evening at the 2018 Beloit (Wis.) College "Buc Blast" and inside the Flood Arena in Beloit, Wisconsin. The Comets defeated the host Buccaneers and Eureka (Ill.) College.

Final Score: Olivet def. Beloit 25-18, 25-20, 25-17
Location: Flood Arena; Beloit, Wis.
Records: Olivet 1-0 overall, Beloit 1-1 overall

• In the first set, the Comets used a 6-0 run to turn a 3-2 deficit into an 8-2 lead. Olivet did not give up the lead for the rest of the set, leading it by as many as 10 points, 21-11.
• The Buccaneers held a 5-2 lead in the second set. The Comets scored the next four points to take their first lead 6-5. The teams traded points, resulting in seven tied scores. After the last tie at 13-13, Olivet used two kills and Beloit attack error to go up 16-13. The Comets never relinquished their advantage.
• Two Olivet errors gave the Buccaneers the first two points of the third set. The Comets responded with four straight points – two kills and two Beloit attack errors – to take a 4-2 lead. The Buccaneers closed the gap to a single point on six occasions. Following the last one at 8-7, Olivet put the next three points on the scoreboard to create an 11-7 score. Beloit was able to cut its deficit in half twice but never got any closer.

• For the match, Olivet posted a .138 attack percentage compared to .035 for the Buccaneers.
• Junior Morgan Champion led all players with nine kills.
• Junior Brittney Prince was next with seven kills.
• Sophomore Laken Groll had six kills with zero errors on 11 attacks for a .545 hitting percentage.
• Juniors Madelyn Notenbaum and Rose Kemmerling split time at the setter position, recording 17 and 13 assists, respectively.
• Notenbaum served two of the five Comet aces.
• Junior Gabrielle Mundt collected a team-high 18 digs.

•  Allison Faber and Eva Laun-Smith each tallied seven kills.
• Paige Wimbrow dished out 14 set assists.
• Shelby Strehlow registered a match-high 21 digs.

Final Score: Olivet def. Eureka 25-13, 25-15, 25-19
Location: Flood Arena; Beloit, Wis.
Records: Olivet 2-0 overall, Eureka 0-2 overall

• Prince topped the team with nine kills and four assisted blocks.
• Champion and Notenbaum each had eight.
• Notenbaum also finished with a team-high 14 set assists and 12 digs.
• Mundt recorded 11 digs.

• Sara Worrell distributed 13 set assists.
• McKenna Cleer tallied 15 digs. 

• Tonight's match was the first-ever against Beloit. The Comets now lead the all-time series with the Red Devils, 3-0. OIivet had previously beaten Eureka in five sets on Sept. 14, 1996, and in four sets on Oct. 1, 2016.

• The Comets play two more matches tomorrow at the "Buc Blast." Olivet faces North Central (Ill.) University at noon ET and Rockford (Ill.) University at approximately 2 p.m. ET.